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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31 vs Dunlop RoadSmart III — Compared (September 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop RoadSmart III

Summer Premium Touring tires

Dunlop RoadSmart III tread pattern
Objective (60%)
74/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
89/100
16 owner reviews
Dry
95
Wet
89
Comfort
88
Treadwear
89
Handling
89
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Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown

5 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) RoadSmart III leads by 11
A
84
B
95
Why this score
SourceBattlax Sport Touring T31RoadSmart III
Professional tests (TWG score) 83 97
Tyre Reviews owners 85 91
Dry Braking (% of best) 96% 99%

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) RoadSmart III leads by 14
A
75
B
89
Why this score
SourceBattlax Sport Touring T31RoadSmart III
Tyre Reviews owners 75 89

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) RoadSmart III leads by 8
A
80
B
88
Why this score
SourceBattlax Sport Touring T31RoadSmart III
Tyre Reviews owners 80 88

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) RoadSmart III leads by 4
A
85
B
89
Why this score
SourceBattlax Sport Touring T31RoadSmart III
Tyre Reviews owners 85 89

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) RoadSmart III leads by 9
A
80
B
89
Why this score
SourceBattlax Sport Touring T31RoadSmart III
Tyre Reviews owners 80 89

Scores at a glance

CategoryBridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31Dunlop RoadSmart III
Relative Score 81 90
Dry 84 95
Wet 75 89
Comfort 80 88
Treadwear 85 89
Handling 80 89

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Test data

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryTire ATire BΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 96% #6/6 · 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test 99% #3/6 · 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test -3.3 Same test
Overall Ranking Overall 17% #6/6 · 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test 50% #2/6 · 2020 Motorcycle Sports Touring Tyre Test -33.3 Same test
From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31

The Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31 is viewed as a capable and communicative tire that performs well in spirited riding conditions. While it offers reliable grip, some users report a tendency for the tire to feel overly sensitive or skittish on uneven road surfaces.

Pros

  • Strong dry grip on smooth road surfaces
  • High level of road feedback and communication
  • Capable of maintaining pace with sport-oriented motorcycles
  • Improved wet weather performance compared to previous generations

Cons

  • Tendency to skip or feel unsettled on rough, uneven road surfaces
  • Feedback can occasionally be misleading, creating a false sensation of slipping
  • Wet grip performance is considered good but not class-leading compared to dedicated sport tires

Observations

  • Users of the GT-spec variant on heavy sport-touring motorcycles like the ST1300 report a generally positive experience with handling and feedback.
Tire B Dunlop RoadSmart III

The Dunlop RoadSmart III is highly regarded as a durable, high-performance sport-touring tire that excels in longevity without sacrificing significant grip. Users consistently praise its stability and confidence-inspiring handling across a variety of motorcycles, particularly heavy touring bikes and sportbikes used for long-distance travel.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and mileage compared to dedicated sport tires.
  • Sharp, responsive steering and handling characteristics.
  • Consistent and reliable grip in both dry and wet road conditions.
  • Stable performance under heavy loads, including luggage and pillion passengers.

Cons

  • Occasional reports of rear-end slippage during aggressive cornering with power input.
  • Front tire wear can be uneven or faster than expected depending on suspension setup.
  • Some users noted a firm ride quality due to the stiff carcass construction.

Observations

  • BMW K1600GTL owners report the tire is an excellent match for the bike's weight and touring demands.
  • Sportbike riders (e.g., GSXR1000) appreciate the tire as a long-lasting alternative to pure sport rubber without losing agility.
  • The stiff carcass design is noted to sharpen steering response, which is particularly beneficial for heavier touring motorcycles.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31 B · Dunlop RoadSmart III
CategorySummer Premium Touring tiresSummer Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typeMotorcycleMotorcycle
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop RoadSmart III — better wet, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 95 vs 84 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 89 vs 80 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop RoadSmart III scores 88 vs 80 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T31
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Tire B · Dunlop RoadSmart III
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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.